Method and apparatus for finishing and shrinking textile fabrics



April Z0, 1948. F. R. REDMAN 2,440,209

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHNG AND SHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS i FiledJan. 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet I l.

April 20, 1948. F.`R. REDMAN v 2,440,209

METHOD AND APPARATUS non Fnusrune AND summum; TEXTILE mamas Filed Jan.8,` 1945 :5'sneets-sheet`2 `April Z0, 1948. V F. R. REDMAN 2,440,209

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHINGAND SHRINKING TEXTILE FABRICS FiledJan. 8.v 1945 3 sheets-sheet s' Patented Apr. 20, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENT loI-FICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FR FINISHING AND SHRINKING TEXTILEFABRICS Frank R. Redman, Yardley, Pa. Application January 8, 1945,Serial No. 571,841

s claims. (C1. zii-1&5)

This invention relates to the finishing of textile fabrics; andespecially to the finishing of piece goods, in strip form, which havebeen shrunken in accordance with the process disclosed in my prior U. S.Letters Patent No. 2,325,544, using an apparatus of thesame generalcharacter as, or the equivalent of, that shown and described in mycompanion prior U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,325,545, dated July 27, 1943.

The inventions as disclosed in the aforesaid prior patents have foundparticular aptitude in the shrinking of tubular knit goods, from whichunderwear and other washable articles of clothing, etc., aremanufactured. Under these inventions it has been possible to reduceresidual shrinkage in knitted tubular fabrics of the type employed formaking undershirts, etc., to practically zero. l

The aforesaid shrinking process was predicted upon the premise thatcomplete shrinkage of knitted fabrics could be obtained, walewise andcoursewise, by working and maintaining the fabrics in a completelyrelaxed state, in the presence of heat and moisture; by which the yarnsforming the knitted stitches of the fabric are placed and maintainedunder longitudinal compression, whereby the individual fibres arerelieved of all tension resulting from carding, condensing, spinning,twisting, etc., of the yarns, and the subsequent knitting and processingof the fabric, and whereby the bres are permitted to returnsubstantially to their original natural kinky condi tion.

The fabric is then dried while it is still in its thoroughly relaxedstate, and garments made from fabrics processed in this manner will notshrink thereafter, regardless of how many times the garments may besubsequently laundered.

Ordinarily, the tubular knit goods from which washable garments, such asundershirts, drawers, slips, etc., are usually made, are normally runthrough a finishing process, after being scoured and/or bleached, toremove wrinkles from the fibres, to straighten the stitch wales in thefabric, and to give the fabric a smooth sleek finished appearance,preparatory to the fabric being cut to size and shape for seaming tocomplete the garment.

The ordinary finishing process usually consists in steaming andmoistening the fabric and then running it through a pair of drivenheated calendering rolls, with a loose spreader floating inside the tubeimmediately in advance of the nip of the calendering rolls.

From the calendering rolls the fabric is passed over and around two ormore spaced driven take= oil reels by which the fabric is placed undertension and is pulled away from the calendering rolls, topreventsticking of the fabric to the rolls.

From the take-oil reels the fabric usually passes vertically downward,between another pair of driven rolls which delivers the fabric onto ahorizontally reciprocating table, by which the fabric is laid back andforth in successive layers until a pile of desired thickness isobtained, or the fabric is wound in a roll upon a core or mandrel.

TheV temperature of the calendering rolls, at the speed at which thefabric passes between the calendering rolls, is not sufficient, ineither case, to dry the fabric thoroughly before it is piled onl thereciprocating table or wound in the roll.

When the pile of moist fabric reaches the desired thickness, the layersare bound together to form a bundle, which is then removed from thepiling table for storing or for shipping to the underwear manufacturer.

The fabric dries out in'such rolls and bundles, and due to the fact thatthe fabric was moist and under` tension when packaged, the lfabricusually contains as high as 15% shrinkage and seldom if ever, does thisshrinkage run as low as 10% when cut and seamed in the ultimate garment.Y

It has been found that fabric which has been shrunken and dried inaccordance with my aforesaid process, if finished in the ordinary manneras noted above, gains in length to some extent, but less than usual,during finishing and thereby takes on an undesirable degree ofshrinkage, approximately 7% to 8%, due to the remoistening of the fabricand the tension under which the fabric is placed by the take-olf reelswhich draw the fabric away from the calendering rolls, and

'additionally, by the driven rolls which feed the fabric onto thereciprocating piling table.

One object of the present invention is to provide a process andapparatus for nishing pre- -shrunken fabrics and particularly thosewhich have been preshrunken in accordance with the process disclosed inmy aforesaid prior patents, whereby the nal residual shrinkage of theiinished fabric will be maintained at substantially zero in the ultimategarments produced therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel means forstripping the moist fabric from the calenderingrolls without placing thefabric under any tension in addition to that to which the fabric isnecessarily subjected in be-l ing drawn over the floating spreader, bythe calendering rolls.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for reshrinking thefabric to remove any gain that may have been acquired by the fabric as aresultof the tube being drawn over the spreader in advance of thecalendering rolls.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide means by which the ilbresof the yarns in the fabric may be maintained in a relaxed condition; andto provide means for thoroughly drying the fabric while the bres aremaintained in such a relaxed condition, prior to the fabric being fed tothe piling table or being wound in a roll on a Other objects andadvantages of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description taken with the disclosures of the accompanyingdrawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation diagrammatically illustratingapparatus for finishing the fabric in accordance with the presentinvention; and

Figs. 2 and3 are views similar to Fig. 1 showing modified arrangementsof the apparatus.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings a strip S, of tubular knib fabric, isfed, in a flattened condition, between a pair of power driven heatedcalendering rolls I and 2, with a flat boot-shaped spreader frame 5, ofordinary open grid-like foraminous, or other suitable construction,floating freely within the tube at the intake side of said rolls, withthe straight rear end edge ,4 of the frame closely adjacent the nip ofthe calendering rolls I and 2, and with the portion of the frame justastern of the rounded head end 3 of the frame lying between a pair ofpower driven rolls t and l, by which the opposite separated face pliesof the tubular fabric, spread apart by the thickness of the frame 5, aredrawn onto and pushed along the frame 5 into the nip of the calenderingrolls I and 2.

The frame 5, as usual, spreads the tube laterally into a smooth flatcondition and holds it to a predetermined width as it enters the nip ofthe calendering rolls, and at the same time causes the stitch wales tostraighten out and lie parallel to the longitudinal center line and sideedges of the frame. This is common practice in the art and needs nofurther explanation.

As the flattened fabric is advanced along the frame 5 by the pull of thecalendering rolls I and 2 and the push of the advancing rolls 6 and l,the fabric is moistened and heated by sprays of steam or hot water t, tplaying on the fabric from beneath, above, or both preparatory to theflattened fabric entering the nip of the calendering rolls I and 2.

At the delivery side of the calendering rolls i and 2 the double pliesof the flattened tube are lifted olf or prevented from adhering to theperipheral surfaces of the rolls Il and 2 by stripper blades I0 and IIrespectively, which may be of any desired cross sectional contour.

Preferably, the stripper l0 is of a thin crescent shaped cross section,with the concave side of slightly greater radius than the peripheralsurface of the'roll I and positioned with very slight clearancetherebetween. The convex face of the stripper It is of smaller radiusthan the concave face and the two intersect in relatively thin featheredges extending substantially parallel to each other and to the axis ofthe roll I.

The stripper II is preferably of a substantially triangular crosssection with the face adjacent 4 the peripheral surface of thecalendering roll 2 convex and slightly clearing said roll surface.

Asecond face of the triangular stripper Il lying adjacent and spacedapart from the convex face of the stripper I0 is also preferably of aconcave nature, While the third face of the triangular stripper II maybe flat, convex, concave or any other shape that may be desired.

As the calendering rolls I `and 2 revolve they deliver the flatteneddouble-ply fabric strip S through an arcuate slot I2 formed byl andbetween the adjacent convex and concave faces respectively of thestripper bars of blades I0 and II, which directs the fabric downwardlyonto the lower end of an inclined traveling belt or apron I5 which istrained around a roll I4 adjacent the peripheral surface of the lowercalendering roll I, below the lower edge of the stripper bar III, and. asecond roll I3 remotely disposed at a higher elevation whereby the upperrun of the apron I5 is disposed at a substantial angle to thehorizontal.

Either or. both of the rolls I3 and I4 may be driven to drive the apronI5 at a linear speed less than the peripheral speeds of the calenderingrolls I and 2, preferably. from 1% to 2% less, so that the fabric iscompletely relaxed on apron I5 after its passage through the calenderingrolls.

The apron I5 delivers the fabric S over the high roll I3 from which ithangs vertically and passes between a pair of power driven deliveryrolls I6 and II, traveling at a peripheral speed substantially equal tothe linear speed of the apron I5.

The rolls I6, I1 deliver the fabric to either an ordinary roll formingdevice for rolling the fabric on a core or mandrel or preferably onto ahorizontally reciprocable flat piling table 20 of usual well knownconstruction which is reciprocated longitudinally at a linear speedconsistent with the peripheral speed of the delivery rolls I6, I1.

The mechanism by which the table 20 is reciprocated is well known in theart and per se forms no part of the present invention, furtherdisclosure therefore is believed to be unnecessary.

Furthermore, these reciprocable piling tables are usually provided withautomatic clamps I3, I9 which bear on the top most of the layers offabric successively piled on the table 2li to hold the one end of alayer being formed during the travel of the table 2@ relative to thefixed rolls I6, il by which each successive layer is formed.

In accordance with the present invention, the apron I5 i-s housed in 4adrying chamber 25 which is preferably of an insulated walledconstruction to retain the interior thereof at a sufficiently.

high temperature, for example from 250 F. to 306 F., to dry the fabricthoroughly while it reposes in a relaxed condition on the apron i5, fromthe time it is deposited on said apron adjacent the calendering roll Iuntil it is delivered by the apron i5 over the upper roll I3 whichsupports the apron.

Any suitable means common to the drying art may be employed formaintaining the interior of the chamber 25 at the desired dryingtemperature, without departing from the spirit of the present invention,such as steam' coils, electric heating coils, etc., with or withoutcirculating fans or blowers by which heated air may be circulated withinor through the chamber 25 to dry the fabric S as it reposes on the apronI5.

During the drying of the fabric as it reposes in a relaxed state on theapron I5, any gain the fabric may have acquired as a result of the tubebeing moved into and along the spreader is taken out of the fabricbecause of the speed of the apron I5 being less than the peripheralspeed of the calendering rolls I and 2, yby which the fabric is at notime placed under tension and ls permitted to rest and to contractfreely on the apron I5 until it is thoroughly dried.

Preferably the linear speed of the apron I5 and the peripheral speed ofthe delivery rolls I6, I1 are regulated relative to the peripheral speedof the calendering rolls I, 2 by use of any of the well known variablespeed power transmitting devices, such as the Reeves drive, etc., toinsure complete drying and complete contraction ofthe fabric between theinstant it is deposited on the lower end of the inclined apron I5 untilit is delivered thereby over the upper supporting roll i3 of said apron.

The drying chamber may be made to include the delivery side of thecalendering rolls I and 2 and the stripper bars I Il and Il if desiredor with one end wall 24 of the drying chamber adjacent the rear of therolls I and 2 andstripper bars I Il and II as shown in Fig. 1.

If desired the calendering rolls I and 2, instead of being arranged withtheir axes in a common vertical plane, as shown in Fig. 1, may beinstalled with their axes in a common horizontal plane, as shown at la,2a in Fig. 2.

Under such circumstances, the spreader frame 5a would be arranged in avertical plane and a feed reel 25 would be mounted above the upper endof the spreader frame to feed the tubular fabric vertically downward tosaid frame.

In such instances a pair of molstening devices 8a, 8b would be installedadjacent the opposite faces respectively of the spreader 5a withenclosures 2'I housing the spray pipes 8a, 8b and open on their sidesadjacent the two plies of fabric respectively passing over the oppositeflat faces of the frame 5a.

The inclined apron, in such structures as shown in Fig. 2 would extenddownwardly on an angle beneath the calendering roll-s Ia, 2a and thefabric S would then fall directly from the nip of the rolls Ia, 2a ontothe top run of the conveyer apron I5a, through a suitable opening 28formed in the upper wall of an angular prolongation 29 of the dryingchamber 25a.

With the arrangement'dislosed in Fig. 2, the stripper bars I0 and II maybe eliminated as the fall of the fabric from the nip of the calenderingrolls I a, 2a onto the dryer apron 5a would obviate the use of thestripper bars I0 and Il for stripping the fabric from the peripheralfaces of the rolls I a and 2a.

A-s shown in Fig. 3, three calendering rolls I b, 2b, and 30 may bearranged with the axes of the rolls Ib, 2b in a common vertical planeand with the axes of the, rolls Ib, 30 in a common hori zontal plane.

In this case the apron I5b and dryer prolongation 29b would extend belowthe rolls Ib and 30 as noted with respect to the rolls la, 2a in Fig. 2.The spray pipes 8c, 8d would then set horizontally -above and below thespreading frame 5c within f oraminous endless belts 21e and 21d whichwould travel at the same surface speed as the calendering rolls Ib, 2b,and move the fabric along the spreader 5a into the bite of thecalendering rolls without any frictional back drag on the frame 5c.

From the foregoing it wil1 be clear that any gainthe dry fabric passingonto the outer end 3 of the spreader 5 may acquire when it isl moistenedas it is being passed along the frame 5 will be lost again when thefabric is permitted to rest in a relaxed state on the apron 5 moving atslower speed thanthe surface speed of the calendering rolls I and 2 sothat by the time the fabric is thoroughly dried on the apron I5b it hasreturned to it-s zero state of shrinkage before beit will be understoodthat the present invention is applicable in cases where the fabric hasbeen processed by other methods and apparatuses which are in general useand by which preshrinking to the same extent as I have been able toattain is impossible. Under such circumstances the present invention isapplicable, and the drying of the fabric in a quiescent thoroughlyrelaxed state on the belts I5, I5a or I5b traveling at a reduced speedwith respect to the peripheral speed of the calendering rolls willresult in the non-shrunken fabric shrunken to some extent during thefinishing operation.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for finishing fabric comprising a set of calendering rolls,means for moistening the fabric in advance of said rolls, means adjacentand spaced from the peripheral surfaces of said rolls for stripping themoist calendered fabric from said rolls said strippingmeans having anintermediate slot through which the stripped fabric passes from saidrolls, means for relaxing the fabric following said rolls, and means fordrying the fabric while in a relaxed condition under control of saidrelaxing means.

2. Apparatus for finishing fabric comprising a pair of calenderingrolls, means for moistening the fabric in -advance of said rolls, a Pairof stripper bars disposed adjacent the peripheries of said rollsrespectively and providing a delivery slot for said fabric therebetween,means for relaxing the fabric following stripping thereof from saidrolls by said bars, and means for drying the fabric while relaxed.

3. Apparatus for finishing fabric comprising a pair of calenderingrolls, means for moistening the fabric in advance of said rolls, a pairof stripping bars having concave faces respectively disposed adjacentthe peripheral surfaces of said rolls and complementary surfacesproviding a delivery slot for said fabric, means for relaxing the fabricfollowing its removal from said rolls by said bars, and means for dryingthe fabric while relaxed.

4. A method of finishing and shrinking textile fabric, lwhich comprisesmoistening the fabric, passing the moist fabric between power-drivencalendering rolls, depositing the fabric on a. movable surface directlyfrom said rolls substantially free from tensional stress, moving sai-dsurface at a speed less than the peripheral speed of said rolls, wherebythe fabric is completely relaxed on said surface after its passagethrough said rolls, and applying heat to the fabric to dry it while itis in a relaxed condition on said surface.

5. Apparatus for finishing and shrinking textile fabric, comprising aset of power-driven calendering rolls,v means for moistening the fabricin advance of said rolls, a conveyor arranged to re- 2,440,200 7 y 8ceive the fabric directly from said rolls substanpassage through saidrolls. and means for aptially free from tensional stress, meansactuating plying heat to the fabric to dry it while it is in a saidconveyor at a surface speed less than the relaxed con-ditiononsaidconveyor.

peripheral speed of said rolls, whereby thaeftfbiic FRANK R. REDMAN. iscompletely relaxed on said conveyor r s 5 passage through said rolls,and means for ap- REFERENCES CITED Flyin! heat t0 the fabric ti dry itWhile 1t 19in 9' The following references are of record in the relaxedcondition on iicsi tzlonveyt. h mm t `me of this patent:

6. Apparatus for ng an s r ng extiie fabric, comprising a set ofpower-driven cal- 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS endering rolls. means formoistening the fabric Nunn-,e1-v Name Date in advance of said rolls. apair of stripper bars 104,740 Jones June 28, 1870 disposed adjacent saidrolls to strip the moist .495,310 Crawford Apr. 11, 1893 fabrictherefrom and providing a delivery slot 1,401,539 Cunningham Dec. 27,1921 for said fabric, a. conveyor arranged to receive 15 1,485,921Herrick, Jr. Mar, 4, 1924 the fabric directly from said rollssubstantiels." 1,790,655 Cohn Ii'eb. 3, 1931 free from tensional stress.means actuating said 1,907,786 Gessner May, 9, 1933 conveyor at asurface speed less than the peri- 2,052,948 simpson Sept. 1, 1936 pheraispeed of said rolls. whereby the fabric 1S 2,071,035 Jenett Feb. 16,1937 completely relaxed on said conveyor after its zo 2,187,344 Cohn et1 Jam 16, 1940

